If you had a choice

would you rather stregthen the links with the Commonwealth or remain in Europe ?

Comments

  • I'm not sure it's a question than can be answered as the two are separate entities.

    The EU is a political entity whereas the Commonwealth is less defined, its more like a club where the members share an allegiance to the Queen. 

  • SideBurnSideBurn ✭✭✭

    Heart = Commonwealth

     

    Head = Europe

    Having a free trade agreement with other nearby wealthy countries is a no brainer! Go where the money is image

    We joined the Common Market (now the EU) because this country was bankrupt and we had to!

    Even Winston Churchill thought it was a good idea. (United States of Europe Speech 21/3/1943)

     

  • Hog-mouseHog-mouse ✭✭✭

    But there are conflicts of interest, so which would you rather?

    For me it has to be the Commonwealth.

  • SideBurnSideBurn ✭✭✭
    widow hog-mouse wrote (see)

    But there are conflicts of interest, so which would you rather?

    For me it has to be the Commonwealth.

    I know, but if it was one or the other then it would have to be the EU (with regret)

  • The Commonwealth is what's left of what used to be the British Empire.

    Politically it would be a very sensitive issue to try and make it more than it is as it would have echoes of that imperialist past.

    For practical purposes our future can only lie with our neighbours - i.e. the EU.

  • Easy ... Commonwealth !!

    Europe to me is now largely irrelevant as a dictate to our future. We joined the 'common market' at a time when the rest of Europe was a big part of the available market and therefore it made sense.

    However now the world and technology has moved on immeasurably and trading with countries on the other side of the world is just as easy as those next door, it makes no sense to tie yourselves in to something just for the sake of proximity.

     

  • We should only trade with europe, that was the original plan. How on earth we can have laws set by faceless beauracrats for multiple regions that have all different needs and traditions etc is a joke. You are never going to get an agreement that suits all. Trade only, anything else should be torn up and thrown away.

  • MartenkayMartenkay ✭✭✭

    The Commonwealth harbours much antagonism towards the U.K. because of the perception of imperialism as mentioned above by Screamapillar. This was why they ditched the "British" part of the title.

    Many of the countries have no real allegiance to U.K. and will probably go their own way when the Queen dies. One interest they have is seeing what they can obtain from the wealthy U.K. for perceived injustices of times past and that is best done through alliances within the Commonwealth. They see the British as patronising. Many of the countries have poor populations with self interested governments. I cannot see any great advantage the U.K would have trading with many of those countries and what can we sell to them other than weapons.

    I agree part of what Bruce C writes that the world and technology has changed so much that it is difficult to see what advantages Europe has for the U.K.  The European  peoples have always found the British difficult and the feeling is mutual. We quite rightly pestered the "Common Market" to let us join for selfish reasons a bit like the Eastern European countries today. The U.K and the European Union simply don't get on with each other. The Eurozone would dearly love to blame the U.K  for their financial mess but the ECB and the World Bank point the finger at them with no excuses for a global recession.

    I don't think it is either / or . I understand Volkswagen sell more cars to China than European Union. 

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